


countdown

by strangelysweet



Category: Persona 5
Genre: Fluff, Kissing, M/M, New Year's Kiss, ryuji sacrifices himself to boss in return to dance on the bar of leblanc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:20:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25783510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangelysweet/pseuds/strangelysweet
Summary: Akira twirls him around, taking his hand delicately. Ryuji is laughing, unacquainted with the outside world, lost in Akira slate eyes.God, he's fallen so hard.--It's New Year's Eve in Leblanc, and Ryuji's wondering if getting up on the bar to dance with Akira is worth the humiliation he'll get from Futaba later.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira/Sakamoto Ryuji
Comments: 2
Kudos: 54





	countdown

**Author's Note:**

> this was in my notes for the LONGEST time, as i wrote this like a year ago. i'm pretty sure this is in another oprhaned work somewhere, but like... i'm not sure where.  
> but without further ado, i present to you... dumbassery

The year is coming to a close.  
There are fireworks, disco balls, glitter bombs, and wild parties, but nothing compares to the quiet celebration happening in a small cafe in the backstreets of Yongen-Jaya.  
Ryuji grins at his companions, blissfully unaware of anything else that could be possibly happening outside of the small cafe. The boy dancing on the bar surface sends a subtle wink in his direction. Ryuji laughs, knowing he does this to everyone. He thinks.

Yes, he's sure.

Ryuji is nothing special compared to the boy in the glasses, just a good friend. He sees a pale hand breach his melancholy thoughts, slender fingers extended as to pull him up onto the smooth mahogany surface of the bar.

“Akira, Boss is gonna kill you." Ryuji warns, daring to look into those gunmetal eyes. Akira only laughs, pulling him up. The music blasting from Futaba’s speakers is upbeat and truly ordinary, save for the occasional Rickroll. Ann giggles, blue eyes twinkling as she eggs on the pair.

"Oh shush, Ryuji. He said it was New Year's Eve and that we had the place to ourselves." She laughs, staring at the pair on the bar. Akira gives him that look again. The one where his eyes bore right into his own and the corners of his mouth pull into a nocuous smile. Ryuji shrugs.

To hell with it.

It's New Year's Eve.

Akira twirls him around, taking his hand delicately. Ryuji is laughing, unacquainted with the outside world, lost in Akira slate eyes.  
God, he's fallen so hard.  
He first realised it when Akira had calmly placed a hand on his shoulder when he was arguing with the track team. He had given them a vacuous stare, honeyed words splintering their tough outer shell, giving them a final warning before they turned on their heels and sprinted away, putting their skills to good use.

He'd also distinguished it when Akira had run along with him on his 800m laps around the school: he had seen the glasses come off and the hair swept back, face flushed and skin hot. He couldn't help himself from staring at Akira and the afterglow that seemed to radiate off of him after a run.  
He was a teenager, after all.

Ryuji stares at Akira as the scoundrel dips him, holding his hand tight. He playfully hits him as he regains balance, his hand still in Akira’s. He glances at the television, seeing that the countdown starts soon. He turns back and howls at the moon from inside Boss' cafe. Ann laughs, Yusuke smiles, Futaba films. He flashes a smile at his companions, about to start counting down from 10.

Then the lights shut off.

There is screaming.

There is rushing.

There is a flick of static, and the television's speakers flicker to life.

10.

Ryuji feels Akira’s hand squeeze his.

9.

The volume flickers, static undertones interrupting the festivities.

8.

Akira steps closer, and Ryuji can see his glasses glinting in the dark.

7.

The dark-haired boy looks him dead in the eyes, warning him.

6.

Ryuji can feel his heart flutter in his chest.

5.

The scurrying stopped a while ago; everyone accepts the dark.

4.

Akira leans in closer, and Ryuji can smell coffee, linen, and spices.

3.

"Tell me yes or no." Gunmetal eyes pushing him for an answer.

2.

A hand cups Ryuji’s face.

1.

"Yes."

0.

His lips are soft and gentle, but he has experience. Ryuji feels himself sway at the knees, holding on to Akira’s slender frame. Somehow, his slender fingers find Ryuji’s hair, tangling themselves in it. And just like that, the kiss was over.

The lights turn back on.

20XX was over.

And Ryuji would never forget it.

**Author's Note:**

> not pictured: ann shaking ryuji by the shoulders to get the details


End file.
